1 Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for treating hair and, more particularly, this invention relates to apparatus for treating hair with heat for styling purposes.
2. Technical Considerations and Prior Art
It is a general practice to apply heat to hair in order to straighten the hair, curl it or form waves therein. It is also a general practice to combine some type of heat treating device with a comb, as is disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 1,382,342, 1,518,388, 2,457,621, 2,545,885, 2,600,472, 3,291,141 and 3,731,694.
With the exception of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,291,141 and 3,731,694, the afore-mentioned patents use heat to aid in combing hair, rather than for curling hair. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,291,141 and 3,731,694, the comb is used to assist in curling hair around a heated mandrel. However, the teeth alone cannot supply sufficient tension to the hair to accomplish this, so that in U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,694, an auxiliary clamp is utilized to hold the hair in place.
Also of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,428, which discloses a plurality of bristles in combination with a heating element. However, in this patent, the bristles are used for brushing the hair, rather than as a device for assisting in winding the hair for waving.
Of additional interest are patents such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,370,649 and 2,610,637, which disclose a combination of bristles and teeth mounted on the same unit to form a combination comb and brush. However, in these patents, the bristles are not for the purpose of tensioning hair about a heater.